The Non-Magical Declan Moore: Winterthorn Book One by Nathan Taylor

Author:Nathan Taylor [Taylor, Nathan & Taylor, Nathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780645759518
Publisher: Magpie Drive Press
Published: 2023-08-09T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

White curtains, white walls, a shining silver trolley, the sharp smell of pine cleaner. Declan blinked under the harsh florescent light and the room came into focus. Katie sat cross-legged, perusing a magazine on her lap with a pen pressed against her lips. She started to write on the page, frowned, then stopped. Amber arrived with a paper bag. She took one look at him and smiled. “Declan. You’re awake!”

Katie glanced up. “Oh! I didn’t notice.” She put the magazine down, Declan glimpsed an incomplete crossword. “How are you feeling?”

A dull ache radiated from the crown of his head. Declan tried to sit up and failed. “Sore,” he said. “How did I end up here?”

“What do you remember?” Katie asked.

Amber adjusted her hair as she settled into a seat. She dug a sandwich out of the paper bag and floated it across the room to Katie. The sight of the magic was enough. Memories poured back like dripping treacle. The voice in his head, it had been relentless. He had tried to drown it out. “I don’t remember anything,” he lied. Katie and Amber exchanged meaningful glances. Declan’s cheeks burned. They know.

“Declan, we’ve all lost things to Haberdeen,” Amber said, her expression solemn. “We’re not going to sit here and tell you we understand how you’re feeling. But you’re not alone here.”

Katie nodded her agreement. “We want you here at King’s. More importantly, we want you to want to be here.” She held his eyes. “We thought we were doing the right thing, giving you time and space to work through your pain.” Her gaze dropped to the floor. “That was a mistake. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry Declan,” Amber added. “We should have been there for you.”

Declan shook his head; the movement ignited a wave of pain. “No, no, no.” His croaky voice stumbled over the words. “No. You didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t need to apologize at all!”

Amber put her hand on the edge of the bed. “We do. You lost everything. Your entire life changed overnight. That is huge. And we just left you to figure it out.”

“You’re not alone, Declan.” Katie said. The corners of her eyes sparkled.

Declan wasn't sure how to respond. He lay back against the thick pillow and touched his head gingerly. Tell them the truth, he thought.

“Well, well, well.” John said, beaming as he walked in. “Look who finally decided to join us.”

Amber scrunched up the paper bag and threw it at John, who caught it mid-air with a twirl of his fingers and sent it straight back at her. Katie looped it around her head and into the bin. John sat by his bedside. “Feeling better?” he asked.

“Still a bit of an ache,” Declan said, patting his head.

“Hold still then.” John put a palm on his mop of curls and Declan’s skin erupted in goose pimples. When the icy sensation passed, the pain went with it. He sat up in his bed, moving his head from side to side.

“Thank you.”

John nodded. “No worries, but what we’re all wondering is why it was necessary.

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